Alvin Ukpeh: Discovering Passion for Photography in Solitude

Alvin Ukpeh is a 26-year old Nigerian graduate of Agribusiness Management from the University of West Virginia. Born in America, he moved back to Nigeria where he now lives and works while also honing his new found passion and creativity in photography. Before now, Ukpeh was at a desolate point in terms of a career path, having studied Agribusiness Management abroad but had gone into oil and gas on his return to Nigeria. At this point of ambivalence, he went into a state of solitude during which he found his passion in photography. The result of this was an assembly of creative visuals at a recent photography exhibition he titled “Solitude”. In this interview with MARY NNAH he talks about his inspiration, challenges and aspiration

What informed the title of the exhibition “Solitude”?

It is titled, “Solitude”, because at a specific time in my life that was how I was feeling and that is what shaped a lot of my pictures that you see here today. So this exhibition is very intimate to me and that was what gave me the concept to shoot most of these pictures.

So, can you share a bit of that intimate experience that brought about this?

You see, at a time, I was also influenced by lockdown, so I had to be by myself for about four months and after that I took a trip to about three countries and seven cities including New York, USA; Maryland, USA, California, Puerto Rico, which inspired most of these pictures here today. I just went on a photography trip just for myself and just to collate how I was feeling, the state of my mind and so, I was just shooting how I felt which you see in a lot of these pictures that have one person in them.

Subconsciously, I was shooting but did not realise until when I was going through my recent shoots and found out that this is how I was feeling. I really believe in the quote by David Alan Harvey, “Don’t shoot what it looks like, shoot what it feels like” and that’s how I take my pictures and my angles.

Talking about being in solitude even when you had your parents and family around you, one would wonder what really made you feel alone and cut off.

Yes, you can have people around you and still feel alone. I am not saying that I do not appreciate the presence of my parents but I was still by myself. I was still thinking about my life and about things that I had to do. It is great to have people around but you can still feel alone even with the presence of so many people around you even if it’s family or friends.

Most of your works are tagged 2021? That means you just started this journey.

This is a collection of works starting from between January and February, this year when I travelled and when I was in the solitude state of mind. So, yes, I started collating all the pictures displayed here six months ago.

How was it that easy to compile all these within the space of six months?

I shoot a lot. I got a lot and I just shoot random things. I shoot what makes me feel sad and what makes me feel happy and what makes me feel like I am in a state of solitude. And they just came naturally to me.

What does photography do to the mind?

There is a saying that pictures speak a thousand words, so when you look at the pictures, you first connect to the picture mentally, and then you have a story in your head that makes you connect to the picture and that affects your emotion and then you equally get joined with the picture or it reminds you of someone, something or somewhere you were in life or about an event or something really important to you. That’s how powerful pictures are.

What challenges did you face in the course of compiling these pictures?

The only challenge I had was selecting my favourite pieces that I will display here. That was the most challenging task because I shot a lot of pictures that expressed how I felt at that particular time.

Are you into this for the financial gains or for passion?

This is my passion and I found this is my talent. It comes easy to me and I enjoy it. So, I am doing what I love.

Was it your state of solitude that drove you into this passion or you’ve always had it?

No. The thing is that I have always had a passion for photography. I have always known that I am artistic. I used to write but I didn’t know how to do that art or how to express my mind until I decided to try putting it into photography, which I had already had a passion for. That’s what drove me to actually fully indulge in it.

So, do we see you taking up this as a source of livelihood, maybe in future?

My brand is NYV. It is going to be a conglomerate of companies that are involved in fashion design, a collection of photographers and a collection of curators. It is going to be a one-stop shop for the entertainment and corporate industries and this is the starting point for that.

Where were you before you embarked on your photography trips?

I was staying in Lagos. I just got back then from Uyo where I spent most of the lockdown period and then a few more months with my family I came back to Lagos and then decided to take the trips because I haven’t travelled in almost two years. So, I need that time for myself.

Can you tell me about your educational background?

I studied Agribusiness Management at University of West Virginia. I went to high school in Lekki British School, Lagos and I went to primary school at The Rock Montessori School in Lagos as well.

You studied Agribusiness and now you are going far apart from your first interest. How do you reconcile that?

So I did study Agriculture but when I moved back to Nigeria I got into oil and gas. I have been there for the past four years. I have learnt a lot and I appreciate my company for that, and then I decided to leave them and chase my dreams.

At what point exactly did you discover the passion for photography?

I have had this passion since I was a child but I just never took it seriously until about two years ago when I decided to take it up fully and it came easy to me… like it brought out my artistic nature and I was able to express it through photography very easily.

You didn’t take it seriously in the past. Was it connected to family?

No it wasn’t about my family. It was a hobby but I didn’t take it seriously because in our culture, there is this one way of thinking … where it is to go to school, come out, get a secured job and all of that. I was scared to deviate from that but when I finally decided to do it, I felt a lot of joy, freedom, happiness and now we are here.

So what do you think about such a culture of always making us think the proper thing to do is to make us go to school, get a certificate and then get a job?

You do need to go to school, study something good, and get your certificate. Our generation is already doing that but our generation is changing the landscape in terms of we are beginning to explore our creative side; our art and art is beginning to become more accepted. And our generation is starting to push that narrative that you can do what you love to do and you can express yourself in art without having to go through the norms. You can be an alternative and that is accepted.

Solitude is a very personal experience for you and it has been able to bring peace of mind to you but for those who just walk into a place and see your photographs without really knowing the genesis, how do these pictures help them?

Solitude is basically being alone and at that moment of being alone is reflecting on yourself, thinking about your life, taking your day one step at a time, and making plans to better your future. That’s how I will say my exhibition affects Nigerians.

How often do we expect to see such an exhibition?

I will be holding such exhibitions as often as I’m inspired to do one because I’m not doing it for money. I am doing it because I love it and I want to show people a different side of photography – the conceptual side of photography. So whenever I am in my space, and I have come up with a beautiful concept that I think can help people and help social issues, I will do an exhibition and everybody is invited to come.